How to Treat Your Employees Well and Get the Office Working as a Team

Man management isn’t something that comes naturally to everyone. It can be difficult to strike that right balance between friend and employer. You don’t want to get over friendly but at the same time no one wants a distant authoritarian boss either.

One of the most important things to remember is that employees are human beings! So treat them as such. If you stick to that basic principle, all the other ways of handling them will come relatively easily. To help you out, here are a few ways you can get your team on side and working together.

Be Clear and Firm

A lot of employers can be afraid of this. But being firm and clear doesn’t necessarily mean you’re being unfair or harsh. People like to know where they stand and what is expected of them. If you’re flakey and uncertain when delivering instructions, your staff will either feel insecure or just lose respect for you. You don’t want them to stop listening to what you say, or your business could fall into disrepute. It’s a cliche, but you should be firm, but fair. They’ll thank you for it eventually.

Give Them Benefits and Extras

Money is a great motivation; this is just a fact. You may not be entirely comfortable with it, but it’s a fact nonetheless. It’s only right to provide bonuses, health support and corporate wellness for your employees. Not every incentive has to be money oriented though. Goals and rewards can provide great motivation for employees. They may even be better for improving productivity than money. Whichever way you choose to incentivise work in your office, make sure it’s a genuine motivation. Not a half-hearted attempt to win over your workers.

Empower Your Workforce

You should make every member of staff feel like they are a vital cog in the system. No one should be left out, feeling like a spare wheel. To achieve this, you should make it clear to them that you’ve placed your trust in them completely. This can be done by handing them new responsibilities. They could manage smaller teams, or you could offer promotion opportunities more regularly.

Be Friendly But Not Intrusive

As I mentioned earlier, being a boss is not the same as being a friend, and it’s difficult to get the right balance between the two. Take an interest in their lives outside work, but be natural about it. If you’re not a strong, natural communicator in the workplace, you could try talking to them outside of work. Don’t intrude too much though, you shouldn’t make them feel like their lives are being pried into.

Listen to Them

This one’s easy. Yet, many bosses don’t do it. When the office is busy, and the work on your desk is piling up, it can be hard to listen carefully to what everyone is saying to you. Make the time to listen to what your employees have to say though. They’ll appreciate it more than you can imagine. If you’re a naturally bold and brash personality, try not to talk over them. Quieter employees may not feel comfortable voicing concerns otherwise.